The Journey
by Topaz5686
Summary: David Xanatos' sister, Danielle (OC), moves into the castle after a run of "bad luck" and quickly becomes part of the clan. Friendship, Drama, and Romance and more await her as she travels a journey to discovering what truly matters… Rated M for content in later chapters… Gargoyles is owned by Disney! Please R&R, input is appreciated!


**The Journey**

_Summary: David Xanatos' sister, Danielle (OC), moves into the castle after a run of "bad luck" and quickly becomes part of the clan. Friendship, Drama, and Romance and more await her as she travels a journey to discovering what truly matters… Rated M for content in later chapters… __**Gargoyles is owned by Disney!**__ Please R&R, input is appreciated!_

"Decided to run for it, huh?" Turning around in surprise caused Brooklyn's gaze to land upon the very reason he'd been on the battlements. Danielle Maria Xanatos stood against the now closed door and was staring at him intensely. The way her long, dark hair blew out from behind her shoulders did little to slow his racing heart. "Sure, I'm human, but am not that scary to look at; am I?"

Brooklyn could feel his shoulders shutter slightly but prayed that it wouldn't be enough to draw her attention and laughed. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"Well…" She straightened, their eyes still locked and moved just a step closer to him. "…you are the only member of the clan that hasn't spent the last two hours drilling me with questions."

It was true, since Xanatos had introduced her, everyone from Goliath to Lex had been learning all that they could. Aside from the last twenty minutes he had been inside and heard all that she had to share.

Danielle was thirty-two years old, had master's in communications and accounting from Yale. She had spent the last fourteen years working for a banking firm in North Carolina, had worked her way through the ranks as a highly ranked account specialist. Naturally as a "Xanatos", business was something that came easily, and her personable attitude had granted her opportunities to travel alongside several of her CEOs. She'd even been to Scotland and within a few miles of where the castle had originally stood.

When the questions turned more personal, she had shared with them that her long-term relationship recently come to an ugly end. Her boyfriend of more than ten years had been sleeping with his intern; Danielle had found them in her bed. His actions had lead her to taking a leave in the firm, and at Xanatos' insistence, she'd agreed to move here.

Brooklyn realized that she'd been waiting on his response for far longer than necessary and a nervous smile formed. "Not at all, believe me, you're anything but scary."

Danielle smiled, noticing the way his checks seemed to darken at that moment. _'Did he just blush? How cute.'_ She moved a step closer, batting her eyes at him involuntarily. "Hm, well if scary isn't the word you'd use, may I ask what is?"

Brooklyn glopped, all too aware that Danielle had taken each step forward, closing the distance between them to only a few feet. "Yourummbeautiful." He could hardly believe the words had left his beak, but she was beautiful. Her dark skin and long hair were enough, but her honey colored eyes had been nearly the first thing he'd noticed about her. Currently, he couldn't break his focus on them.

Danielle giggled. _'He's so cute.' _"What was that, cat got your tongue?"

He realized that Danielle appeared amused by his jumbled answer. _'Great! Open beak, insert foot.' _

With a sigh he allowed his eyes to leave her brown gaze, locking just past her right to an increasingly uninteresting patch of brickwork on the castle wall. "Sorry, I know that's not what you were expecting..." For a moment nothing more was said by either of them, and he found his eyes closing in what could only be described as humiliation.

His self-loathing ended with the contact of her right hand against his check, causing his eyes to snap open and lock with her own again. A soft smile greeted him, and her fingers shifted slightly, to almost hold his face. "Thank you, I haven't heard that from anyone, aside from David in a really long time."

Brooklyn found that slightly hard to believe but decided he won't argue with her tonight. He smiled, taking position of her hand and fought the urge to place a kiss in the palm that still held his check. _'Angela's been suckering me into too many rom-coms lately.'_ "Well, it's the truth, m'lady." Danielle laughed, and he could help but to join her.

As they settled back down, her hand was released from his, and she immediately felt the loss of the contact. _'He's funny, and charming in his own way, but it's crazy to feel this way; isn't it?' _

Needing something to distract from the thought, she moved beside him against the battlement wall and looked down upon the city. The cloud cover was minimal and from that height you could see clear across the skyline. "It's amazing up here."

Brooklyn had turned with her and tried to claim his own fluttering heart. _'I need to get a grip.'_ "It's different from the view he had before the curse, but we've gotten used to the noise and lights of this time."

Danielle's eyes were still on the city below them. "I envy your life. Being able to take flight, go wherever the wind takes you."

He chuckled. "I suppose, though we've never traveled far from home. Even when Xanatos drove us from the castle, we never looked further than the police station." He suddenly remembered something she'd told the clan inside. "I can't imagine all the places you've seen."

She sighed and shook her head. Turning towards him again as a gust of wind coming up the castle walls caused her hair to plume behind her. "I honestly wonder if my traveling is what drove Travis to cheat." Their eyes met again. "He always swore it wouldn't drive us apart though. Wasn't I the dumb one?"

Anger burned in his soul at the broken look her eyes now held. He hadn't been so enraged in years, not since he'd gotten over his anger and resentment towards Demona. "He's a fool, and any man that can commit such a betray didn't deserve you."

Looking at him now, Danielle could see the emotions brewing as his eyes glowed bright. "Easy tiger! It's okay, what's done is done."

Brooklyn frowned, though his eyes returned to normal as his right hand cupped her shoulder. He noticed how different their sizes truly were, and something inside him hurt a little from that. "No, it's not Danni. A woman like you whose beautiful, smart, and talented deserves better."

The sincerity in his eyes caught her off guard. She smiled again. _'My gosh, if you were human…'_ "How is it no female gargoyle has scooped you up yet?"

Felling comfortable in front of her again, he shrugged. "You're just lucky I'm still on the market."

Her heart fluttered as a sly smile spread across his beak. _'This shouldn't be so natural.'_ Despite her doubts, Danielle couldn't help but to press on. "So, you find human women attractive then?"

'_Jalapena, okay, don't screw this up.'_ Brooklyn glopped again. "I've already admitted that I think you're beaut…" As the words felt his beak, motion above them, drew their attention skyward. Goliath had jumped from his tower, Elisa held securely against him, her arms around his neck.

Glancing to Dannielle, he chuckled, her eyes locked on the departing couple in awe. "They look so in love."

Nodding, Brooklyn hopped onto the battlement wall, stretching his own wings. Glancing over his left shoulder, he gained her attention again and didn't bother to deny the thrill Danni's wide gaze granted him. She had watched him stretch and now a little blush crossed her checks as she realized he knew. He smiled. "It took them awhile to admit it, we even thought was Elisa dead at one point, but they're happy now."

She sighed, her gaze moving again to the city below them. _'To be that in love…' _"The thrill she's experiencing, I can't even imagine."

He stepped back off the wall. "If you wanted to, I could take you for a glide…"

Danielle stepped back and faced him. She was flattered by the offer, especially since they'd only known each other a few hours. "Are you sure? I couldn't possibly ask you to…"

Brooklyn held out his right hand to her, though his heart was racing. As she took it, electricity seemed to flow though his entire body. _'What in Merlin's name was I thinking?' _"Of course, I offered Danni and besides, it's bound to come up sooner or later." Releasing her heand, he turned his back to her and crouched down to allow her onto his back. "We have about two hours before dawn, if you're interested?"

Unable to refuse her curiosity, Dannielle stepped closer and stopped, her fingertips just short of touching his long white mane. "But won't I bother you laying on your hair, it's so beautiful?"

He shook his head, blushing slightly as he met her gaze over a shoulder. "Naw, you won't hurt me but if it's going to bother you just move it to the side."

Danielle did as he suggested, shifting handfuls of his hair to the right. The skin where his wings and back met seemed to entrance her, as she ran her nails down his spine.

A groan escaped him, and his shoulders shuttered he gasped. _'That felt…' _

Over the same shoulder their gazes met again, and she could see the heat behind his eyes. Surprised, she stepped back, suddenly aware of what she'd done. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

He turned, catching her right hand before she could stray too far; now more in control of his emotions and aware that he had startled her. "No Danni, please, it's my fault! I should have warned you. The skin between my wings is…sensitive."

She sighed and relaxed, still holding his hand. "So, I'm guessing that's an area that doesn't get touched?"

He shook his head. "Not usually." _'Unless it's your mate.'_ Smiling again, he released her hand and stepped back towards the wall. "Why don't we try this another way?"

Dannielle followed him and glanced over the side. "You're not going to throw me off, are you?"

Brooklyn looked offended for just a moment before laughing, causing her to as well. "Of course not." In the boldest of moves, he stepped forward and collected Danni in his arms, bridal style. "This was more of what I had in mind."

Though it was too late to go back now, his mind internally raced against his last actions. _'Can't believe I just scooped her up. What was I thinking? She's so beautiful, that's what I was thinking. But she's probably scared to death now!' _

Dannielle was stunned, she'd never had expected him to be so forward but could deny the excitement now rushing through her. "Okay." She glanced back at the city, before meeting his gaze again and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Just don't drop me."

His happy expression softened into one she couldn't quite read just before he leapt onto the wall. Tightening the hold on her, his spread wide and he leaned forward. "I won't dream of it, Princess." Not waiting for her to respond, Brooklyn allowed the night sky to carry them away.


End file.
